Who Are You and Where Are You Going?

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From The New Mandala

No matter how much faith we have, if we do not constantly maintain an inquisitive
and critical attitude our practice will always remain somewhat foolish.
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama

I am often asked how it is that this Protestant minister wound up in the company
of the Dalai Lama, and is now a Christian preacher and teacher of Buddhist wisdom and
practice. I generally respond by noting that I was never one to “color within the lines.”

So the story of my spiritual journey - my Mandala, if you will - has its own unique
pattern with a lot of fuzzy margins.

The bend in the road, the turning point in my spiritual journey occurred as a direct
result of an auspicious conjunction of anxiety, curiosity and opportunity.
In the classic story of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is lost, disoriented,
confused, even frightened when she first encounters the Scarecrow who greets her with
the words, “Who are you and where are you going?” It’s a metaphysical question that
confronts us all at some point as we find ourselves stumbling along the yellow brick
paths of our lives.

Her reply, “I’m Dorothy, and I’m going to Oz - to see if the Wizard
can help me get home,” is her way of responding for all of us: I am what I have named
myself, and I’m exploring, seeking a wise guide who can help me return to my roots, the ground of my being, my center.